Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature is an esteemed annual award conferred by the Swedish Academy to recognize individuals in the literary field for outstanding work that contributes to humanity. Established in the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, it is one of five Nobel Prizes, alongside those for chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, and peace. Since its inception in 1901, the prize has garnered significant prestige, with the number of nominations increasing over the decades, reflecting a growing recognition of its importance.
The selection process involves a committee that evaluates proposals and literary materials to identify deserving candidates. While the prize aims to honor literature that bestows significant benefits to mankind, its criteria are somewhat vague, leading to diverse interpretations and occasional controversy. The Nobel Prize in Literature has also faced criticism for its Eurocentric bias and the political implications surrounding some laureates. Notable winners have included literary giants like Ernest Hemingway and Toni Morrison, as well as more unconventional recipients like songwriter Bob Dylan, prompting discussions on the evolving definition of literature. The award's integrity has been challenged in recent years, resulting in the unusual decision to forgo a prize in 2018 due to internal controversies.
On this Page
Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature is an annual award presented by the Swedish Academy to a person in the literary field who has "produced the most outstanding work in an ideal direction." It is widely considered the most prestigious literary award in the world.
The prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes provided for in the will of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel in 1895. The other prize categories are chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, and peace (with a related prize for economics).
Background
The Nobel Prize in Literature is rooted in Alfred Nobel's desire to bestow recognition on noteworthy figures whose work benefited humanity. Throughout his life, Nobel cultivated his literary interests in many different languages. Upon his demise, one of the items in his will stipulated the distribution of his amassed wealth in the form of five specific prizes to be decided upon by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm and awarded annually at a special ceremony in that city. Literature was the fourth prize area Nobel mentioned in his will.
Nobel died in 1896, but it was not until 1901 that the first round of Nobel Prizes were awarded by the Swedish Academy. In the first year, there were twenty-five nominations for the literary prize. At first, the members of the Swedish Academy hesitated to nominate their own candidates, preferring that the proposals come from outside.
The number of nominations dropped over the years as stricter regulations were imposed and were then changed. For example, at one time, the works presented had to have been written "during the preceding year." This was softened, and older works were considered "if their significance has not become apparent until recently." The number of nominations increased as the prestige and monetary benefits became more beneficial. By the end of the twentieth century, the number of nominations each year surpassed two hundred.
The guidelines for the distribution of the literature prize are similar to those for the other Nobel Prizes. The main emphasis is that the candidate should have "bestowed the greatest benefit of mankind." The special condition for the literature selection is that it be "in an ideal direction." This vagueness of these stipulations has meant that interpretations can vary considerably over time. Therefore, some candidates are household names while others are much more obscure.
The Nobel Prize in Literature strives to keep away from politics, but this has not always been possible. Any international prize is subject to political effects. As such, the Nobel Prize in Literature has seen its share of controversy over the years. One frequent criticism has been that the Nobel Committee tends to have a Eurocentric perspective on literature. Specific laureates have also sometimes proved controversial, whether for their own political views or due to disagreement over the worthiness of their work.
Overview
The Nobel Committee consists of three to five individuals, chosen within the Swedish Academy with an occasional additional member from outside. The focus of the selection committee is to examine the proposals offered and to study all relevant literary material in order to choose the best candidates for consideration by the academy. When the prize was first introduced, the committee presented only one name for the decision of the academy, which was usually confirmed. Over the years, the process has changed somewhat.
The Nobel Prize in Literature can be divided between two candidates but never more than that. The Swedish Academy has been quite strict on this point, and a dual prize is often regarded as a form of compromise.
Many well-known literary greats have earned the prize. These include W. B. Yeats (1923), Ernest Hemingway (1954), Jean Paul Sartre (1964), Samuel Beckett (1969), Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1982), Toni Morrison (1993), Seamus Heaney (1995), Doris Lessing (2007), and Alice Munro (2013). A few figures have received the prize despite working mostly outside of the traditional literary world. For example, songwriter Bob Dylan won the 2016 prize, generating some debate over the meaning of literature.
Following a string of resignations amid allegations of sexual misconduct and other questionable behavior reportedly committed by members of the Swedish Academy, the decision was made not to award the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2018 but to instead name two winners in 2019 (Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke). This was the first time the award had been delayed since 1949.
Bibliography
Chappet, Marie-Claire. "Nobel Prize for Literature: The Good the Bad and the British." The Telegraph, 9 Oct. 2014, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/8808880/Nobel-Prize-for-Literature-the-good-the-bad-and-the-British.html. Accessed 7 Dec. 2015.
Henley, Jon, and Alison Flood. "Nobel Prize in Literature 2018 Cancelled after Sexual Assault Scandal." The Guardian, 4 May 2018, www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/04/nobel-prize-for-literature-2018-cancelled-after-sexual-assault-scandal. Accessed 4 June 2018.
"Nobel Prize." Britannica, 11 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/Nobel-Prize/The-prizes. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
"Nobel Prize Facts." The Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/facts/nobel-prize-facts/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.
"The Nobel Prize in Literature." The Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.
"The Swedish Nobel Prize." Sweden.se, Swedish Institute, sweden.se/work-business/study-research/the-swedish-nobel-prize. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.